AN INSPIRATIONAL Poole man will carry the Olympic torch seven years after he was critically injured in an horrific speedboat accident. Ben Ridd suffered severe head injuries when two boats collided at a youth powerboat race in Portland in 2005
THE Queen is to end her Diamond Jubilee tour of the country with a visit to the New Forest Show. Her Majesty, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, will take in lunch at the Brockenhurst showground before viewing livestock and presenting prizes
TRADERS in Christchurch have been asked to consider a number of potential parking measures which could be introduced next year. At a meeting of the Chamber of Trade and Commerce, members were shown an email from Andy Cadle, senior engineer at Christchurch
TRAINS between Brockenhurst and Bournemouth have been suspended due to flooding in the New Forest. South West Trains are laying on buses after flooding between Sway and New Milton cancelled usual services from 3pm. South West Trains
A BOURNEMOUTH woman who launched a racist attack on a shop worker has escaped a jail term. Rachel Harris, 44, yelled offensive taunts and struck out at Texaco assistant Ayman Georgy when he tried to help her out at the Holdenhurst Road garage. Drunk
SOUTH West Trains has suspended services between Bournemouth and Brockenhurst due to flooding. A limited number of replacement buses are available for passengers. The disruption has been caused by flooding between Sway and New Milton
FIVE young people with scoliosis have decided to help others diagnosed with the debilitating spinal condition by holding a charity sale. They got together for the Scoliosis Campaign Fund event because, coincidentally, they all live around the same Poole
A DOG who arrived at an RSPCA centre nearly two years ago is looking for a new home. Gus was severely underweight when he first needed the care and attention of staff at RSPCA Ashley Heath centre back in December 2010, aged seven months. With a bit
HOW many people can you get in a taxi? Well it appears the answer to that depends on where you get your taxi licence from. Taxi driver Nader Sadeghi, 62, has been forced to downgrade his seven-seater Vauxhall Zafira to a four-seater
AN accident waiting to happen is how Poole taxi drivers have described a busy taxi rank packed with revellers every weekend. Nightlife at Poole’s Ashley Cross is booming but local cabbies have called for action over the “inadequate” taxi rank which is
A VILLAGE scout group has moved a step closer to funding a new building thanks to a year’s sponsorship from Christchurch’s Saxon Square Shopping Centre. Burton Scouts are celebrating the 12-month deal with the centre, which could boost their appeal for
VERWOOD town showed its support for the men and women of the armed forces on Saturday. Mayor Cllr Simon Gibson led the town’s support for those troops currently serving in the forces, their families and veterans and cadets. Reverend Andrew Sinclair
A RESIDENTS’ group has slammed council “red tape and bureaucracy” for holding up the development of a derelict building. The 10-year wait for work to start on St George’s Hotel on Bournemouth’s West Cliff continues with the builders Whitelock and Co
A DEVOTED couple have been reunited thanks to the matron of a Bournemouth nursing home. Gladys Lockhart, 90, has been a resident at Nightingale nursing home in Roslin Road, Talbot Woods, since September 2, 2010. Her husband Tom, 93, visited daily until
ANOTHER big name is due to open in popular Southbourne Grove. A derelict building at numbers 46-48 will be transformed into a Sainsbury’s Local following successful negotiations with owners the Quantum Group. The former convenience store
There are a few things I was hoping to achieve with The Big Em and M Challenge. Apart from the ultimate goal of raising £2,000 for Winston's Wish, I wanted to get fit, exorcise my brother's death demons and get people talking about suicide.
BOURNEMOUTH got a taste of pedalcar Grand Prix madness yesterday as one of the vehicles whizzed in for a visit. The Daily Echo team’s pedalcar took a spin through the Lower Gardens in the warm-up to the British Pedal Car Grand Prix in Ringwood
THE Olympic torch is almost here and we'll bringing you rolling coverage as it makes its way across Dorset. Our reporters will be following the flame on Friday and Saturday through Purbeck, Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch, so join us online
A DRUNKEN burglar who was brought to justice by bloodstains left at the scene of his crime has been jailed for eight months. Joseph Bolster, 22, from Chaldecott Gardens, Bournemouth, admitted breaking into a large detached family home in Glenferness
FACED with a “formidable” financial challenge, Borough of Poole proposes to wield the knife from the top. A restructure of its senior management is likely to see one of four strategic directors losing their job, a reduction in the number of
NYARAI CHACHOKA aged 30 of Alverton Court, Wimborne Road, Bournemouth. Admitted driving a BMW on Penn Hill Avenue with no insurance in force. Fined £280. To pay victim surcharge of £15, costs of £35 and licence endorsed with six points. Also admitted
STUART CLARK aged 41 of Good Road, Poole. Admitted driving a Nissan car on Upton Road in excess of 30 mph. Conditional discharge for two months. To pay costs of £35 and licence endorsed with four points. ARTHUR DAVID GIMSON of Hennings Park Road, Poole
SCHOOLGIRL Katie Green can cycle with her friends for the first time after fundraisers collected tin cans which were recycled to raise money to buy her a specially adapted trike. Katie, who celebrated her sixth birthday yesterday, was diagnosed
I’D like to applaud, in particular, two local builders who have taken the trouble of designing and constructing a new property that perfectly complements the one standing next to it. My vote goes to Lovett Builders who are completing a new building
u Review Avenue Q, The Mayflower A LOT can happen in a year – especially for the residents of Avenue Q. The puppets are back with one of the most riotous shows around and it’s even funnier than I remember. Sesame Street characters turn into
I WAS very interested in the recent article concerning the value of the Mayor of Poole’s number plate and growing pressure to sell it. John Sprackling should check his facts when he states that APR 1 has nothing to do with Poole. The first number
WITH regard to the £12.1m central grant to help relieve congestion, might I suggest that some of that grant be spent on improving many of the local bus stops. This is especially so where there is no pull-in for the buses to use, invariably opposite a
I AM writing with reference to Diana Butler’s comments (Letters, July 4) and would like to thank her for her suggestions regarding improvements to Poole High Street. The Poole Town Centre Management Board are already looking at trying to
A BUDDY Holly tribute act will be rocking and rolling into Bournemouth this month. Fans will get an evening of Buddy’s greatest hits and those of other legends from the 50s and 60s including Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and the Beatles. Buddy Holly
POOLE and Parkstone Singers never disappoint – right from the opening number you know you are in for a wonderful evening. This is an extremely talented group who I sincerely believe could tackle anything and do it justice from classical to humorous pieces
WE went to the show ‘Strictly Dance to the Music’ at the Pavilion last Monday. The tickets were priced at £39 each and were at the back of the circle, a drink in the bar consisting of a bottle of bitter in a plastic container and a gin and tonic was £9.10
I AM sorry that Christine Peters (Letters, July 5) feels that the travel interchange area is ‘littered’ with drunks. Using the area regularly as I do it is not quite the scene that I recognise although I do acknowledge that there is the occasional ‘layabout
CRUELTY and malicious gossip have probably been around as long as human beings have. But the invention of the internet and smartphones has created new ways for people to spread offence and lies. Today we report how 15-year-old Zach Freestone’s life
THERE is fresh hope for Poole’s Remploy factory after it emerged that the government was in talks for a bidder to take it over. The Alder Hills factory, which offers sheltered work placements for 18 people with disabilities, was among 36 Remploy sites
A BOURNEMOUTH foodbank’s premises are a write-off after being devastated by flooding less than a year after opening. The Community Foodbank at St Andrews Church, in Kinson, was submerged under 18 inches of floodwater on Monday. The centre’s £50,000
BOURNEMOUTH West MP Conor Burns has quit the government over his opposition to its plans for House of Lords reform. He announced his resignation as a parliamentary aide during a Commons debate on the coalition's proposals. Mr Burns said
RESIDENTS are being urged to remain vigilant as more rain and potential flooding is predicted to hit the county on Thursday. As last-minute preparations are made for the Olympic torch relay, the Environment Agency has urged people in vulnerable
A MUM is warning about the dangers of social media after her son was bullied over a malicious rape rumour. Debbie Freestone wants teenagers to understand the harm they can do after 15-year-old son Zach was left afraid to go outside. Zach, a Portchester
BOSS Paul Groves has shrugged off suggestions he is under pressure to deliver after receiving big financial backing from the Cherries board. Groves also insists he is putting in place foundations that will benefit the club in the long-term as Cherries
ADAM Barrett is keen to make up for lost time as he prepares to embark on a fresh start under new Cherries boss Paul Groves. Defender Barrett saw his Jekyll and Hyde fortunes mirrored by the team during his debut season at Dean Court. A mainstay of
NEIL Middleditch insisted his Brits had given World Cup favourites Australia a major fright but admitted they now faced a huge task in the race-off. Team Great Britain almost caused a big shock as they ran the Aussies extremely close before missing out
DORSET’S Keith Brewer achieved a record that may never be equalled as he stormed to the world seniors’ eight-ball pool title in Blackpool. The 50-year-old from Poole secured a remarkable five victories without dropping a frame to claim the crown at the
